I’m drawn to books that demystify writing and publishing, so I was excited to check out last year’s The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript by Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer (affiliate link). They write from their years of experience leading intensive workshops, creating for readers a sense of participating in that supportive environment. Step by step, they guide authors through an inquiry process to transform a long academic manuscript into a book for wider audiences. Writers identify an iterative series of “book questions” that speak to the core of what their book is about, and then develop “chapter answers.” This strategy offers structure that helps writers develop nuance and hone in on their main argument on every page. Friendly and practical, this book fills a gap for early-career academic writers.
